Development and Evaluation of St Jean-Morden Apple Rootstock Series

Abstract

<jats:p>Two hundred and nine hybrid seedlings developed by crossing Nertchinsk × M.9, Osman × Heyer 12, and Nertchinsk × M.26 were evaluated since 1970 in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Horticultural Research and Development center (HRDC), Quebec. Canada. `McIntosh' was used as the scion. Seven of these rootstocks obtained from crossing `Nertchinsk' with M.9 and M.26 were found to be winter hardy, disease resistant, dwarfing, with good yield efficiency and easier to propagate than O.3 under North Eastern Central Canada climate. O3A, a mutation of O.3 (Ottawa 3) was also added to the advanced lines and evaluated along with seven rootstocks in replicated trials compared to M.26, M.9, M.111 and O.3 in four locations during 1995–2002. These seven rootstocks (SJM15, SJM44, SJM127, SJM150, SJM167, SJM188, SJM189, along with O3A are being released for commercial evaluation.</jats:p>

‘SJM15’ Apple Rootstock

“…'SJM15' produced smaller trees than 'O.3' and 'M.26' with higher cumulative yield. Trees grafted on 'SJM15' are more precious than 'O.3' and 'M.26' and the yield efficiency of 'SJM15' was significantly higher than 'O.3' and 'M.26' (Khanizadeh et al, 2005). No significant differences were observed between 'SJM15' and other two rootstocks for burr knots and number of suckers (Khanizadeh et al, 2005).…”

“…'SJM15' was planted in 1997 in replicated trials in several plots at the Frelighsburg and L'Acadie substations and also at two grower sites (Khanizadeh et al, 2005;Khanizadeh et al, 2000).…”

Cultural and Environmental Factors Associated with Winter Injury to Apple in Northern Eastern Canada

“…It has generally been accepted that the development of cold hardiness is associated with metabolic changes during cold acclimation (Levitt, 1980). The development and the use of disease resistant, hardy apple cultivars and rootstocks is one of the key factors that could help apple growers in northern climate (Carisse and Khanizadeh, 2006;Khanizadeh et al, 2000b;Khanizadeh et al, 2003;Khanizadeh et al, 2005;Marini et al 2001aMarini et al , 2001b.…”

‘SJM44’ Apple Rootstock

“…It was released because of its infrequent burr knots and freedom from root suckers compared with 'M.9' (Table 1), superior hardiness (Khanizadeh et al, 2000), ease of propagation, and better yield efficiency (Table 2). 'SJM44' was among 56 hybrid seedlings of 'Nertchinsk' · 'M.9' to which 'McIntosh VC309' was budded in 1971 and planted in 1974 at Frelighsburg, Quebec, where it was evaluated until 1984 for hardiness, tree size, and efficiency (Granger et al, 1991) along with other selected SJP84 and SJM series (Khanizadeh et al, 2005). 'SJM44' was planted in 1997 in replicated trials in several plots at the Frelighsburg, Quebec, and L'Acadie, Quebec, substations and also at a grower site at Mont-St-Grégoire, Quebec (Khanizadeh et al, 2005).…”